Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who finished last of eight after being struck into in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. at Doncaster on Saturday, will not race again this season and will return for a 3-year-old campaign. The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt won the G3 Acomb S. at York in August and added the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25.
Harry Herbert, managing director for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said, “Unfortunately he was struck into and returned with a nasty gash just above his hock. The jockey [Jason Hart] was very happy with him travelling, but he said he felt him wobble behind and he obviously eased him down immediately and pulled him up.
“We were obviously very disappointed. It was too bad to be true and watching it–I was thinking 'what's going on here', and feared the worst watching him being pulled up.
“These things happen–it's just very unfortunate that it happened in a Group 1 race, where you hope you've got a chance. He'll have the winter off and he'll be back, hopefully for a Derby trial in the spring.”
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